Indy pulls support for passenger rail service

Assistant conductor Pam Fogarty looks on as conductor J.R. Richardson looks over a schedule of arrival times as Amtrak’s Hoosier State train approaches Monon. The Hoosier State’s days may be numbered, now that Indianapolis officials have decided to pull $300,000 worth of funding.
(Photo:
November 2013 file photo/Journal & Courier
)

Passenger rail service between Chicago and Indianapolis might end before a new vendor gets the chance to take over the line and make good on its promises to dramatically improve service.

Last year, Indianapolis officials signed on for the one-year deal to subsidize the Amtrak line running between Indy and Chicago after Amtrak announced in 2012 that it would end its shorter routes, which meant Indiana’s last passenger line. Now they have announced they’re ending that subsidy.

“They have told me they are not interested in doing it next year, and take that as a final no,” said Bob Zier, director of multimodal program and planning for Indiana Department of Transportation.

Indianapolis’ announcement comes as the state tapped Corridor Capital to take over the Amtrak line running between the two cities with stops along the way, including in Lafayette. Corridor Capital promised changes ranging from cleaner cars, modest food service, Wi-Fi, and on-time service — goals that Amtrak was supposed to have reached by this time in order to continue to receive state, county and city support.

“INDOT has worked very hard to secure this line. Indianapolis needs to step up,” Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton said when asked about Indianapolis’ decision. “It’s in the interest of the entire state. This can really help us grow.

“I think we’re all confident it can be self-sufficient once you get over the hump, but it will take a year-and-a-half to two years, and it will cost a little more with a private provider. I don’t think the rest of us can make up that difference.”

Losing Indianapolis’ $300,000 likely would end passenger rail service in the state.

In the one-year deal approved last fall, Indiana Department of Transportation ponied up half of the revenue — roughly $1.4 million — to keep the passenger rail open. Meanwhile, Indianapolis, along with other local government officials along the route, including West Lafayette, Lafayette, Crawfordsville and Tippecanoe County, kicked in the other half.

“We had a sense Indianapolis wasn’t fully on board from day one,” Barton said.

“If you look at their contribution, do the math. It doesn’t work out,” he said. “Theirs was a diversion of INDOT funds that they were getting from INDOT anyway. It wasn’t like Crawfordsville, Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and Rensselaer putting cash on the table.”

Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski said. “Without them in that financial mix ... there’s a very strong possibility it would mean ... the end of the Hoosier State.”

No one is giving up hope that Corridor Capital will take over the line in the fall.

“We’re all trying to put together a scenario where we can implement the new train service,” Zier said. “I’m still optimistic. I think this is going to happen. It’s just a matter of getting everything to fall into place.”

One thing, however, is certain: Lafayette, West Lafayette, Crawfordsville and Tippecanoe County — all financially backed the plan last year — do not have any more cash to throw into the kitty.

Roswarski, Barton and West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis agreed that their cities don’t have additional money to subsidize the rail line.

Dennis might not be as optimistic as Zier, but he’s not without hope that a deal with Indianapolis or possibly other investors might save the rail service. In the world of politics, things aren’t always as they seem on the surface.

“I don’t think it’s final, now. I’m hopeful,” Barton said. “INDOT is still working very aggressively to pull something together, but in all honesty, if we do not secure it by Sept. 30, it’s probably gone forever.”

“The rail service is popular in West Lafayette,” Dennis said. “That will be missed.”